Brian Lara predicts his West Indies team will put up a stirring battle to upset the odds in today's NatWest Series final against in-form New Zealand at Lord's.

Lara has no qualms about the Black Caps' right to be considered favourites - but he is adamant his young braves are ready to make Stephen Fleming and Co fight all the way.

New Zealand approach the final on an eight-match winning streak and easily beat the Windies at Cardiff last weekend on their way to topping the table in this triangular tournament which has exposed eliminated hosts England's frailties in one-day cricket.

West Indies, meanwhile, have shown improved form of late themselves - drawing a home series against England in the spring, beating Bangladesh and providing the sternest opposition available for New Zealand over the past two weeks.

"New Zealand have an advantage in terms of experience and should go into this final as favourites," Lara conceded.

"But we have the opportunity for the first time for a long time to win a one-day trophy away from home - and we will make sure we do everything we can tomorrow to try to do that."

New Zealand's senior all-rounder Chris Cairns singled out a lack of depth in the Windies' bowling attack as the most obvious weakness in Lara's ranks.

The likes of Dwayne Bravo and Dwayne Smith took a hammering at Lord's on Tuesday when England centurions Andrew Flintoff and Andrew Strauss bludgeoned 12 runs for each of the last 10 overs. The Windies withstood the onslaught well enough to continue the successful trend of run-chases in this competition and book a return visit to HQ today.

But Lara accepts his medium-pacers need to raise their game - and the captain himself may have to be prepared to ring the changes through some of his more occasional bowlers, too. "Those guys have to improve, and Bravo understands he needs to do better," he said. "One of the mistakes was perhaps not using (off-spinner Ricardo) Powell or (leg-spinner Ramnaresh) Sarwan towards the end, and if we do find ourselves stifled again in that way, we will look towards using those different options."

Lara is confident his team are ready to at least do themselves justice in a form of the game he suggested at the start of their tour might well represent their best chance of success.

Following a 3-0 Test series defeat by England in the spring and having seen Michael Vaughan's team since inflict the same scoreline on the Black Caps in five-day cricket, Lara knows his side will be in for a stern examination once the one-dayers are concluded today.

But he reported: "The team is in very buoyant mood and very happy to be going into a final."